10 Ways to Cook a Sweet Potato

When summertime hits and the cover comes off the grill, don't forget to add sweet potatoes to the rotation as a delicious and healthful side dish. Grilling your sweet potatoes is a lot like baking them, but you get a rich, smoky flavor. Cut your potato into round slices and brush with olive oil before adding to a hot grill. Turn them after about 5 minutes and repeat on the other side. Check the tenderness; the cooking time depends on how thick you prefer your rounds. For additional flavor, add apple wood or mesquite wood chips to the charcoal. If you want to soften your potatoes, cube them and wrap them in foil with some butter and place it directly on the grill for about 20 minutes.

Sweet Potato Season

Peak sweet potato-growing season is April and May and again from September to December. About 40 percent of the U.S. sweet potato crop is grown in North Carolina, with another 40 percent coming from Louisiana. The rest comes from Texas, California, Alabama and Mississippi.